The increasingly stringent regulations governing pollutant emission limits are compelling power plant operators to operate the burners of the power plants as far as possible in lean-burn mode, i.e. with a considerable excess of oxidizing agent, generally air. The lean-burn operation makes it possible in particular to reduce the formation of particularly harmful NOx emissions and at the same time to move the combustion reaction close to its lean extinction limit. Operating a combustion installation close to its lean extinction limit, although on the one hand leading to low pollutant emission levels, on the other hand also conceals the risk of the flame being extinguished as a result of pulsating pressures, with the result that correct operation of the combustion installation is no longer ensured. To counteract this, it is generally accepted that the combustion installation has to be operated with a sufficient safety margin with respect to the lean extinction limit, which means accepting the resulting higher pollutant emissions.